1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to containers for pastes, gels, creams or the like and more particularly to flexible containers of the type mentioned having closures which are permanently attached to the container.
2. Statement of the Prior Art
Containers for pasty substances such as, for example, toothpaste, with permanently attached closure members are, of course, well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,319,252 discloses and claims a closure for a compressible tube containing a pasty substance. The closure member, which fits over the container neck and is permanently attached thereto, has a spout-type opening through which the contents of the container are dispensed. The closure member is covered by a cap which is permanently attached to the container. The cover is provided with an opening which is preferably slightly larger than the spout-type opening in the closure member and which is adapted to be situated directly over the spout-type opening when the cover is rotated to the appropriate position. In order to remove the contents of the container, the user rotates the cover until its opening is in alignment with the spout.
Other similar closures for compressible tubes containing pasty substances and the like are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,789,955; 1,685,147; 1,170,181 and 2,281,620.
These prior art types of closure devices, however, have a number of disadvantages. First, when the user rotates the cover to a closed position pasty residue remaining above the spout-type opening will be cut away by the action of the revolving cap and will become lodged on the top surface of the cap. This occurs because the spout-type opening does not have a sharp outer edge to facilitate the clean removal of the paste or the like. Such a condition is undesirable, since once the residue becomes exposed to the air it will decay and thus create an unsanitary condition. Second, when the cap is rotated to a closed position the pasty residue can accumulate and harden between the spout-type opening and the bottom surface of the cover, thereby inhibiting or even preventing rotation of the cap. Third, the residue remaining on or near the spout-type opening will decay when exposed to the air and create an unsanitary condition. Thus, subsequent use of the container becomes undesirable since paste or the like will be exposed to the decayed material when it is dispensed. The present invention solves these and other problems not specifically discussed herein.